Bolton Wanderers

Donald Trump’s patience with his administration's 'no men' appeared finally up on Friday as speculation of imminent sackings entered overdrive. The US president was reportedly on the brink of dismissing a string of moderating figures who have hemmed in his hardline instincts over the last year. HR McMaster, the three-star general who is Mr Trump’s national security adviser, was at the top the hit list after months of fraught relations between the pair. John Kelly, another military man seen as a restraining influence as chief of staff, and Jeff Sessions, the beleaguered attorney general, were also reportedly in the firing line. But Mr Trump’s frustration also included cabinet members hit by sleaze allegations and White House aides who have got on his nerves, according to numerous US media reports. Washington is braced for a shake-up, with #firingfriday circulating on social media and aides admitting privately that no one knew what Mr Trump had planned. Spokesmen moved to shut down the speculation, with Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, saying Mr McMaster had a “good working relationship” with the president. But the memo appeared not to have reached the Oval Office. An amused Mr Trump, watching fevered TV coverage alongside Mr Kelly and vice president Mike Pence, reportedly joked: “Who’s next?” He has also hinted at more moves to come in public, admitting recently: “There will always be change, and I think you want to see change.” Mr Trump’s renewed confidence appears to partly explain recent personnel changes, with reports suggesting the president feels more settled after 14 months in the job. His first cabinet was packed with “grown-ups” rather than yes men, helping guide the first-time politician through the challenges of office. But recent upheaval hint at a change in approach. HR McMaster, the White House national security adviser Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon Rex Tillerson, who as secretary of state opposed Mr Trump’s desire to rip up the Irannuclear deal and rattle sabres over North Korea, has been replaced by Mike Pompeo, the CIA head who has “chemistry” with the president. Gary Cohn, the ex-Wall Street titan who quit as Mr Trump’s top economics adviser over steel tariffs, has been replaced by Larry Kudlow, a TV commentator reportedly willing to swallow his initial opposition to the trade barriers. Others waiting in the wings are aligned to the president’s views, not least John Bolton, the mustachioed ex-UN ambassador under George W Bush said to be first in line to replace Mr McMaster. Mr Bolton, 69, was in the Oval Office last week and is renowned as a foreign policy hawk, writing a piece last month headlined “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First.” He has caught the president’s eye for another reason too – Mr Bolton regularly appears on Fox News, Mr Trump’s favourite cable news channel. Other Fox News names are reportedly in the mix for White House roles. The fervent speculation comes after weeks of mounting sleaze allegations that threaten to overshadow White House efforts to push forward Mr Trump's political agenda. David Shulkin, Mr Trump's veterans affairs secretary, was forced to deny he attempted to bring his wife to the Invictus Games in Canada to meet Prince Harry. Mr Shulkin was said to have tried unsuccessfully to secure a berth for his wife on Melania Trump's plane for the September trip. In a statement he said the report, by the Washington Post, was "untrue". John Kelly, the White House chief of staff Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg He added: "I was honoured to attend the Invictus Games with the First Lady and understood fully when I was told that there wasn’t any more room for guests to attend." It followed an Inspector General's report that concluded Mr Shulkin should reimburse the cost of his wife's taxpayer-funded flight to London, which also saw him improperly accept Wimbledon tickets. Other cabinet members have been stung by similar scandals. Steve Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, spent nearly $1 million on eight trips on military aircraft last year, including on to Las Vegas. Ben Carson, the Housing Secretary, has been under fire over an order for a new $31,000 dining set for his office, which was later cancelled. Jeff Sessions, the attorney general Credit: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta Ryan Zinke, the Interior Secretary, has been criticised over a $139,000 bill to the taxpayer for new office doors. Kellyanne Conway, the president's counselor, is also under pressure after it emerged she flew on some of the costly military flights and private jets that saw Tom Price resign as health secretary last year. Mr Shulkin, Mr Carson, Mr Zinke, and others in the cabinet have recently been receiving training on ethics rules from senior White House officials after details of their spending emerged. As White House aides nervously waited to see if Mr Trump would strike Friday, there was room for some gallows humour. One source told CNN: “Everyone loves a season finale.” Sarah Sanders, Mr Trump's press secretary, said chief of staff John Kelly had spoken with White House staff on Friday morning. She said Mr Kelly "reassured them there were no immediate personnel changes at this time and that people shouldn't be concerned." Mrs Sanders said she spoke to the president about General McMaster on Thursday night and he had "no intention of changing" and "looked forward to continuing working with him". She said the president and General McMaster had been in meetings on Friday, but she did not know if the issue of his position came up. Mrs Sanders described the national security adviser as a "dedicated public servant who is not focused on the news stories but big issues like North Korea, Russia and Iran".

Donald Trump’s patience with his administration's 'no men' appeared finally up on Friday as speculation of imminent sackings entered overdrive. The US president was reportedly on the brink of dismissing a string of moderating figures who have hemmed in his hardline instincts over the last year. HR McMaster, the three-star general who is Mr Trump’s national security adviser, was at the top the hit list after months of fraught relations between the pair. John Kelly, another military man seen as a restraining influence as chief of staff, and Jeff Sessions, the beleaguered attorney general, were also reportedly in the firing line. But Mr Trump’s frustration also included cabinet members hit by sleaze allegations and White House aides who have got on his nerves, according to numerous US media reports. Washington is braced for a shake-up, with #firingfriday circulating on social media and aides admitting privately that no one knew what Mr Trump had planned. Spokesmen moved to shut down the speculation, with Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, saying Mr McMaster had a “good working relationship” with the president. But the memo appeared not to have reached the Oval Office. An amused Mr Trump, watching fevered TV coverage alongside Mr Kelly and vice president Mike Pence, reportedly joked: “Who’s next?” He has also hinted at more moves to come in public, admitting recently: “There will always be change, and I think you want to see change.” Mr Trump’s renewed confidence appears to partly explain recent personnel changes, with reports suggesting the president feels more settled after 14 months in the job. His first cabinet was packed with “grown-ups” rather than yes men, helping guide the first-time politician through the challenges of office. But recent upheaval hint at a change in approach. HR McMaster, the White House national security adviser Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon Rex Tillerson, who as secretary of state opposed Mr Trump’s desire to rip up the Irannuclear deal and rattle sabres over North Korea, has been replaced by Mike Pompeo, the CIA head who has “chemistry” with the president. Gary Cohn, the ex-Wall Street titan who quit as Mr Trump’s top economics adviser over steel tariffs, has been replaced by Larry Kudlow, a TV commentator reportedly willing to swallow his initial opposition to the trade barriers. Others waiting in the wings are aligned to the president’s views, not least John Bolton, the mustachioed ex-UN ambassador under George W Bush said to be first in line to replace Mr McMaster. Mr Bolton, 69, was in the Oval Office last week and is renowned as a foreign policy hawk, writing a piece last month headlined “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First.” He has caught the president’s eye for another reason too – Mr Bolton regularly appears on Fox News, Mr Trump’s favourite cable news channel. Other Fox News names are reportedly in the mix for White House roles. The fervent speculation comes after weeks of mounting sleaze allegations that threaten to overshadow White House efforts to push forward Mr Trump's political agenda. David Shulkin, Mr Trump's veterans affairs secretary, was forced to deny he attempted to bring his wife to the Invictus Games in Canada to meet Prince Harry. Mr Shulkin was said to have tried unsuccessfully to secure a berth for his wife on Melania Trump's plane for the September trip. In a statement he said the report, by the Washington Post, was "untrue". John Kelly, the White House chief of staff Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg He added: "I was honoured to attend the Invictus Games with the First Lady and understood fully when I was told that there wasn’t any more room for guests to attend." It followed an Inspector General's report that concluded Mr Shulkin should reimburse the cost of his wife's taxpayer-funded flight to London, which also saw him improperly accept Wimbledon tickets. Other cabinet members have been stung by similar scandals. Steve Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, spent nearly $1 million on eight trips on military aircraft last year, including on to Las Vegas. Ben Carson, the Housing Secretary, has been under fire over an order for a new $31,000 dining set for his office, which was later cancelled. Jeff Sessions, the attorney general Credit: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta Ryan Zinke, the Interior Secretary, has been criticised over a $139,000 bill to the taxpayer for new office doors. Kellyanne Conway, the president's counselor, is also under pressure after it emerged she flew on some of the costly military flights and private jets that saw Tom Price resign as health secretary last year. Mr Shulkin, Mr Carson, Mr Zinke, and others in the cabinet have recently been receiving training on ethics rules from senior White House officials after details of their spending emerged. As White House aides nervously waited to see if Mr Trump would strike Friday, there was room for some gallows humour. One source told CNN: “Everyone loves a season finale.” Sarah Sanders, Mr Trump's press secretary, said chief of staff John Kelly had spoken with White House staff on Friday morning. She said Mr Kelly "reassured them there were no immediate personnel changes at this time and that people shouldn't be concerned." Mrs Sanders said she spoke to the president about General McMaster on Thursday night and he had "no intention of changing" and "looked forward to continuing working with him". She said the president and General McMaster had been in meetings on Friday, but she did not know if the issue of his position came up. Mrs Sanders described the national security adviser as a "dedicated public servant who is not focused on the news stories but big issues like North Korea, Russia and Iran".

Donald Trump’s patience with his administration's 'no men' appeared finally up on Friday as speculation of imminent sackings entered overdrive. The US president was reportedly on the brink of dismissing a string of moderating figures who have hemmed in his hardline instincts over the last year. HR McMaster, the three-star general who is Mr Trump’s national security adviser, was at the top the hit list after months of fraught relations between the pair. John Kelly, another military man seen as a restraining influence as chief of staff, and Jeff Sessions, the beleaguered attorney general, were also reportedly in the firing line. But Mr Trump’s frustration also included cabinet members hit by sleaze allegations and White House aides who have got on his nerves, according to numerous US media reports. Washington is braced for a shake-up, with #firingfriday circulating on social media and aides admitting privately that no one knew what Mr Trump had planned. Spokesmen moved to shut down the speculation, with Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, saying Mr McMaster had a “good working relationship” with the president. But the memo appeared not to have reached the Oval Office. An amused Mr Trump, watching fevered TV coverage alongside Mr Kelly and vice president Mike Pence, reportedly joked: “Who’s next?” He has also hinted at more moves to come in public, admitting recently: “There will always be change, and I think you want to see change.” Mr Trump’s renewed confidence appears to partly explain recent personnel changes, with reports suggesting the president feels more settled after 14 months in the job. His first cabinet was packed with “grown-ups” rather than yes men, helping guide the first-time politician through the challenges of office. But recent upheaval hint at a change in approach. HR McMaster, the White House national security adviser Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon Rex Tillerson, who as secretary of state opposed Mr Trump’s desire to rip up the Irannuclear deal and rattle sabres over North Korea, has been replaced by Mike Pompeo, the CIA head who has “chemistry” with the president. Gary Cohn, the ex-Wall Street titan who quit as Mr Trump’s top economics adviser over steel tariffs, has been replaced by Larry Kudlow, a TV commentator reportedly willing to swallow his initial opposition to the trade barriers. Others waiting in the wings are aligned to the president’s views, not least John Bolton, the mustachioed ex-UN ambassador under George W Bush said to be first in line to replace Mr McMaster. Mr Bolton, 69, was in the Oval Office last week and is renowned as a foreign policy hawk, writing a piece last month headlined “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First.” He has caught the president’s eye for another reason too – Mr Bolton regularly appears on Fox News, Mr Trump’s favourite cable news channel. Other Fox News names are reportedly in the mix for White House roles. The fervent speculation comes after weeks of mounting sleaze allegations that threaten to overshadow White House efforts to push forward Mr Trump's political agenda. David Shulkin, Mr Trump's veterans affairs secretary, was forced to deny he attempted to bring his wife to the Invictus Games in Canada to meet Prince Harry. Mr Shulkin was said to have tried unsuccessfully to secure a berth for his wife on Melania Trump's plane for the September trip. In a statement he said the report, by the Washington Post, was "untrue". John Kelly, the White House chief of staff Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg He added: "I was honoured to attend the Invictus Games with the First Lady and understood fully when I was told that there wasn’t any more room for guests to attend." It followed an Inspector General's report that concluded Mr Shulkin should reimburse the cost of his wife's taxpayer-funded flight to London, which also saw him improperly accept Wimbledon tickets. Other cabinet members have been stung by similar scandals. Steve Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, spent nearly $1 million on eight trips on military aircraft last year, including on to Las Vegas. Ben Carson, the Housing Secretary, has been under fire over an order for a new $31,000 dining set for his office, which was later cancelled. Jeff Sessions, the attorney general Credit: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta Ryan Zinke, the Interior Secretary, has been criticised over a $139,000 bill to the taxpayer for new office doors. Kellyanne Conway, the president's counselor, is also under pressure after it emerged she flew on some of the costly military flights and private jets that saw Tom Price resign as health secretary last year. Mr Shulkin, Mr Carson, Mr Zinke, and others in the cabinet have recently been receiving training on ethics rules from senior White House officials after details of their spending emerged. As White House aides nervously waited to see if Mr Trump would strike Friday, there was room for some gallows humour. One source told CNN: “Everyone loves a season finale.” Sarah Sanders, Mr Trump's press secretary, said chief of staff John Kelly had spoken with White House staff on Friday morning. She said Mr Kelly "reassured them there were no immediate personnel changes at this time and that people shouldn't be concerned." Mrs Sanders said she spoke to the president about General McMaster on Thursday night and he had "no intention of changing" and "looked forward to continuing working with him". She said the president and General McMaster had been in meetings on Friday, but she did not know if the issue of his position came up. Mrs Sanders described the national security adviser as a "dedicated public servant who is not focused on the news stories but big issues like North Korea, Russia and Iran".

Donald Trump’s patience with his administration's 'no men' appeared finally up on Friday as speculation of imminent sackings entered overdrive. The US president was reportedly on the brink of dismissing a string of moderating figures who have hemmed in his hardline instincts over the last year. HR McMaster, the three-star general who is Mr Trump’s national security adviser, was at the top the hit list after months of fraught relations between the pair. John Kelly, another military man seen as a restraining influence as chief of staff, and Jeff Sessions, the beleaguered attorney general, were also reportedly in the firing line. But Mr Trump’s frustration also included cabinet members hit by sleaze allegations and White House aides who have got on his nerves, according to numerous US media reports. Washington is braced for a shake-up, with #firingfriday circulating on social media and aides admitting privately that no one knew what Mr Trump had planned. Spokesmen moved to shut down the speculation, with Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, saying Mr McMaster had a “good working relationship” with the president. But the memo appeared not to have reached the Oval Office. An amused Mr Trump, watching fevered TV coverage alongside Mr Kelly and vice president Mike Pence, reportedly joked: “Who’s next?” He has also hinted at more moves to come in public, admitting recently: “There will always be change, and I think you want to see change.” Mr Trump’s renewed confidence appears to partly explain recent personnel changes, with reports suggesting the president feels more settled after 14 months in the job. His first cabinet was packed with “grown-ups” rather than yes men, helping guide the first-time politician through the challenges of office. But recent upheaval hint at a change in approach. HR McMaster, the White House national security adviser Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon Rex Tillerson, who as secretary of state opposed Mr Trump’s desire to rip up the Irannuclear deal and rattle sabres over North Korea, has been replaced by Mike Pompeo, the CIA head who has “chemistry” with the president. Gary Cohn, the ex-Wall Street titan who quit as Mr Trump’s top economics adviser over steel tariffs, has been replaced by Larry Kudlow, a TV commentator reportedly willing to swallow his initial opposition to the trade barriers. Others waiting in the wings are aligned to the president’s views, not least John Bolton, the mustachioed ex-UN ambassador under George W Bush said to be first in line to replace Mr McMaster. Mr Bolton, 69, was in the Oval Office last week and is renowned as a foreign policy hawk, writing a piece last month headlined “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First.” He has caught the president’s eye for another reason too – Mr Bolton regularly appears on Fox News, Mr Trump’s favourite cable news channel. Other Fox News names are reportedly in the mix for White House roles. The fervent speculation comes after weeks of mounting sleaze allegations that threaten to overshadow White House efforts to push forward Mr Trump's political agenda. David Shulkin, Mr Trump's veterans affairs secretary, was forced to deny he attempted to bring his wife to the Invictus Games in Canada to meet Prince Harry. Mr Shulkin was said to have tried unsuccessfully to secure a berth for his wife on Melania Trump's plane for the September trip. In a statement he said the report, by the Washington Post, was "untrue". John Kelly, the White House chief of staff Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg He added: "I was honoured to attend the Invictus Games with the First Lady and understood fully when I was told that there wasn’t any more room for guests to attend." It followed an Inspector General's report that concluded Mr Shulkin should reimburse the cost of his wife's taxpayer-funded flight to London, which also saw him improperly accept Wimbledon tickets. Other cabinet members have been stung by similar scandals. Steve Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, spent nearly $1 million on eight trips on military aircraft last year, including on to Las Vegas. Ben Carson, the Housing Secretary, has been under fire over an order for a new $31,000 dining set for his office, which was later cancelled. Jeff Sessions, the attorney general Credit: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta Ryan Zinke, the Interior Secretary, has been criticised over a $139,000 bill to the taxpayer for new office doors. Kellyanne Conway, the president's counselor, is also under pressure after it emerged she flew on some of the costly military flights and private jets that saw Tom Price resign as health secretary last year. Mr Shulkin, Mr Carson, Mr Zinke, and others in the cabinet have recently been receiving training on ethics rules from senior White House officials after details of their spending emerged. As White House aides nervously waited to see if Mr Trump would strike Friday, there was room for some gallows humour. One source told CNN: “Everyone loves a season finale.” Sarah Sanders, Mr Trump's press secretary, said chief of staff John Kelly had spoken with White House staff on Friday morning. She said Mr Kelly "reassured them there were no immediate personnel changes at this time and that people shouldn't be concerned." Mrs Sanders said she spoke to the president about General McMaster on Thursday night and he had "no intention of changing" and "looked forward to continuing working with him". She said the president and General McMaster had been in meetings on Friday, but she did not know if the issue of his position came up. Mrs Sanders described the national security adviser as a "dedicated public servant who is not focused on the news stories but big issues like North Korea, Russia and Iran".

How you can ask for equal pay at work - advice from a lawyer

Women Mean Business banner Ahead of the deadline for gender pay gap transparency on April 4, by which time all companies with over 250 employees must have reported their figures, Hannah Ford, a lawyer at Stevens & Bolton, specialising in equality and diversity issues, shares her top tips and explains your rights around navigating pay gap negotiations... Timing is everything When is it sensible to ask for pay re-negotiation? Some moments are, naturally, better than others. The reality is that an employee’s negotiating strength will peak and trough throughout the year and fortune can favour the opportunistic. Most employment contracts have an annual pay review date (to tally with accounting year end, or the anniversary of commencement of employment). But this should not be viewed as the only window in which to ‘talk turkey’. If an employee feels they are being underpaid they should find a time where they can have a candid discussion, without distractions on the issue. Even if the employer’s hands are 'tied’ at that juncture, it may serve as a place marker to revert to during the pay review window. Getting the facts Do you have a right to demand pay transparency? Can you ask to know what your peers are being paid? If this information is denied to you, what other sources could you use (e.g. job ads, insights from recruitment consultants)? If on the other hand this information is shared with you, what are your legal obligations in terms of discussing or even re-confirming this information with colleagues? What facts and evidence of your performance should you bring along to any negotiations? There can be a multiplicity of reasons why employees performing similar roles are paid differently e.g. market forces at the point of recruitment, individual experience or skill set, historical issues such as a business merger, or simply individual bargaining strength or skill. How you can stand up to the gender pay gap at work Employers are not legally obliged to bow to a spurious demand from an employee to disclose what a colleague is paid. However, an employee who suspects that a pay disparity is linked to a ‘protected characteristic’ - such as their sex, age or race - can submit written questions to their employer or use their employers’ grievance procedure to probe further. A failure to deal with the issue ‘head on’ and with transparency can lead to an inference that discriminatory factors are at play. If proven these could expose the business to a costly claim in the employment tribunal. Employees who believe that they are receiving unequal pay because of their sex, for performing work of equal value, can use the Equal Pay Act to seek redress. Employers will only have a defence if they can prove that the difference in pay is due to a ‘genuine material factor’ which is non-discriminatory. Many employers require employees to maintain confidentiality around their remuneration package by using contractual pay secrecy clauses. Such provisions can usefully deter employees from being distracted by salary discussions or engaging in ‘bonus bravado’, however they can be difficult to enforce where breached. Such provisions are void in circumstances where an employee suspects a disparity in pay exists on grounds of their sex. Fair’s fair In companies with increasingly fluid career paths and flexible work patterns, how can you determine whether two slightly differing roles are comparable in scope and therefore should be identical in pay? How might a move to part-time work impact on the discussion over fairness? This is heavily dependent on individual circumstances. The starting point will be core terms and conditions of employment, working hours, job description/responsibilities, job function in reality, day to day duties, reporting lines and so on. Employees who work reduced hours should obviously anticipate that their salary will reflect hours worked, however an employee should not be penalised for working remotely when their output is identical to a peer. Ballsy BBC Women who have hit back over the gender pay gap row Call the cavalry? At what stage is it sensible to get legal advice? A balance needs to be struck between seeming heavy-handed/overly aggressive and ensuring your rights aren’t being overlooked. Employees who threaten legal action, obviously risk alienating their employer. This is rarely advisable where their objective is to preserve the employment relationship, but on better terms. The position is different where the relationship has broken down because an employee suspects they are being paid less unlawfully e.g. on grounds of their sex. In these circumstances it is sensible to seek professional advice at an early stage and develop a strategy for raising the issue, for instance a potent grievance email. An eye on the future People often worry that making a fuss over pay could mean that they might later be side-lined for prime pieces of work, overlooked for promotion or even dismissed as a result. What legal redress is there for employees who believe they have been mistreated in this way? What kind of evidence would they need to support a claim of this kind of backlash? Where an employee raises an allegation of discrimination, and is subjected to a detriment as a result they are protected from acts of victimisation. Depending on the circumstances and number of co-workers affected, there may also be a route of redress via the whistleblowing legislation. To place themselves in the strongest position they would have a record of the initial pay complaint of conversation, such as an email or contemporaneous attendance note of what was said, although this would not a bar to seeking redress. Women Mean Business: A call to action If the answer is no What further steps can be taken? Can line managers be ‘leapfrogged’ by appealing direct to more senior management? What are the risks associated with doing so? Where an employee has a good understanding of the employer’s organisational politics, they may seek out a ‘champion’ elsewhere in the business to take on the issue. The risk of this approach is that in doing so they undermine their direct management, which can be even more damaging long term. Where there is a suspicion that the decision is discriminatory, employees can utilise their employer’s grievance procedure to formalise matters, although this is or threaten to vote with their feet. Extreme measures such as ultimatums can be irremediably damaging to the employment relationship. Join the Telegraph for an evening of inspiration Hannah will be speaking on the panel of The Telegraph’s 'Know Your Worth' event in partnership with The Women’s Chapter on March 19 at The Bloomsbury hotel in London. Hannah will be joined by Emma Sinclair MBE and Ann Francke, CEO of Chartered Management Institute. The event will also feature a showcase of select female-led brands, which will provide a fantastic opportunity to meet the respective founders as well as experience the innovation and creativity of these brands first hand, including Belinda Robertson Cashmere, Distinctively Me, Lucy Anabella, Bozena Jankowska, Nui Ami, Emmy London and By Sarah London. Canapes and Thomson & Scott Skinny Prosecco will be served throughout the evening and gifts will be supplied by Scentered. To join us for this special event, book here: http://bit.ly/2BxnR4n

How you can ask for equal pay at work - advice from a lawyer

Women Mean Business banner Ahead of the deadline for gender pay gap transparency on April 4, by which time all companies with over 250 employees must have reported their figures, Hannah Ford, a lawyer at Stevens & Bolton, specialising in equality and diversity issues, shares her top tips and explains your rights around navigating pay gap negotiations... Timing is everything When is it sensible to ask for pay re-negotiation? Some moments are, naturally, better than others. The reality is that an employee’s negotiating strength will peak and trough throughout the year and fortune can favour the opportunistic. Most employment contracts have an annual pay review date (to tally with accounting year end, or the anniversary of commencement of employment). But this should not be viewed as the only window in which to ‘talk turkey’. If an employee feels they are being underpaid they should find a time where they can have a candid discussion, without distractions on the issue. Even if the employer’s hands are 'tied’ at that juncture, it may serve as a place marker to revert to during the pay review window. Getting the facts Do you have a right to demand pay transparency? Can you ask to know what your peers are being paid? If this information is denied to you, what other sources could you use (e.g. job ads, insights from recruitment consultants)? If on the other hand this information is shared with you, what are your legal obligations in terms of discussing or even re-confirming this information with colleagues? What facts and evidence of your performance should you bring along to any negotiations? There can be a multiplicity of reasons why employees performing similar roles are paid differently e.g. market forces at the point of recruitment, individual experience or skill set, historical issues such as a business merger, or simply individual bargaining strength or skill. How you can stand up to the gender pay gap at work Employers are not legally obliged to bow to a spurious demand from an employee to disclose what a colleague is paid. However, an employee who suspects that a pay disparity is linked to a ‘protected characteristic’ - such as their sex, age or race - can submit written questions to their employer or use their employers’ grievance procedure to probe further. A failure to deal with the issue ‘head on’ and with transparency can lead to an inference that discriminatory factors are at play. If proven these could expose the business to a costly claim in the employment tribunal. Employees who believe that they are receiving unequal pay because of their sex, for performing work of equal value, can use the Equal Pay Act to seek redress. Employers will only have a defence if they can prove that the difference in pay is due to a ‘genuine material factor’ which is non-discriminatory. Many employers require employees to maintain confidentiality around their remuneration package by using contractual pay secrecy clauses. Such provisions can usefully deter employees from being distracted by salary discussions or engaging in ‘bonus bravado’, however they can be difficult to enforce where breached. Such provisions are void in circumstances where an employee suspects a disparity in pay exists on grounds of their sex. Fair’s fair In companies with increasingly fluid career paths and flexible work patterns, how can you determine whether two slightly differing roles are comparable in scope and therefore should be identical in pay? How might a move to part-time work impact on the discussion over fairness? This is heavily dependent on individual circumstances. The starting point will be core terms and conditions of employment, working hours, job description/responsibilities, job function in reality, day to day duties, reporting lines and so on. Employees who work reduced hours should obviously anticipate that their salary will reflect hours worked, however an employee should not be penalised for working remotely when their output is identical to a peer. Ballsy BBC Women who have hit back over the gender pay gap row Call the cavalry? At what stage is it sensible to get legal advice? A balance needs to be struck between seeming heavy-handed/overly aggressive and ensuring your rights aren’t being overlooked. Employees who threaten legal action, obviously risk alienating their employer. This is rarely advisable where their objective is to preserve the employment relationship, but on better terms. The position is different where the relationship has broken down because an employee suspects they are being paid less unlawfully e.g. on grounds of their sex. In these circumstances it is sensible to seek professional advice at an early stage and develop a strategy for raising the issue, for instance a potent grievance email. An eye on the future People often worry that making a fuss over pay could mean that they might later be side-lined for prime pieces of work, overlooked for promotion or even dismissed as a result. What legal redress is there for employees who believe they have been mistreated in this way? What kind of evidence would they need to support a claim of this kind of backlash? Where an employee raises an allegation of discrimination, and is subjected to a detriment as a result they are protected from acts of victimisation. Depending on the circumstances and number of co-workers affected, there may also be a route of redress via the whistleblowing legislation. To place themselves in the strongest position they would have a record of the initial pay complaint of conversation, such as an email or contemporaneous attendance note of what was said, although this would not a bar to seeking redress. Women Mean Business: A call to action If the answer is no What further steps can be taken? Can line managers be ‘leapfrogged’ by appealing direct to more senior management? What are the risks associated with doing so? Where an employee has a good understanding of the employer’s organisational politics, they may seek out a ‘champion’ elsewhere in the business to take on the issue. The risk of this approach is that in doing so they undermine their direct management, which can be even more damaging long term. Where there is a suspicion that the decision is discriminatory, employees can utilise their employer’s grievance procedure to formalise matters, although this is or threaten to vote with their feet. Extreme measures such as ultimatums can be irremediably damaging to the employment relationship. Join the Telegraph for an evening of inspiration Hannah will be speaking on the panel of The Telegraph’s 'Know Your Worth' event in partnership with The Women’s Chapter on March 19 at The Bloomsbury hotel in London. Hannah will be joined by Emma Sinclair MBE and Ann Francke, CEO of Chartered Management Institute. The event will also feature a showcase of select female-led brands, which will provide a fantastic opportunity to meet the respective founders as well as experience the innovation and creativity of these brands first hand, including Belinda Robertson Cashmere, Distinctively Me, Lucy Anabella, Bozena Jankowska, Nui Ami, Emmy London and By Sarah London. Canapes and Thomson & Scott Skinny Prosecco will be served throughout the evening and gifts will be supplied by Scentered. To join us for this special event, book here: http://bit.ly/2BxnR4n

Elon Musk's new 'media empire' with Onion comedy writers might be called Thud

Elon Musk, the billionaire inventor, has announced he is launching a "new intergalactic media empire" called Thud, or Thud! – "exclamation point optional". It's possible he is joking, although if the Tesla founder had mentioned two years ago that he would soon be launching an electric car into space, or selling "zombie defence" flamethrowers, one might have assumed he was joking then, too. That’s the name of my new intergalactic media empire, exclamation point optional— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2018 But this time, joking may be at the heart of the business. Earlier this week the Daily Beast reported that Musk had hired two former editors from satirical news site The Onion for a new "secret" comedy project. “It’s pretty obvious that comedy is the next frontier after electric vehicles, space exploration, and brain-computer interfaces,” said Musk, 46. “Don’t know how anyone’s not seeing this.” "We can confirm that we have learned nothing from prevailing trends in media and are launching a brand-new comedy project," former Onion staffers Cole Bolton and Ben Berkley said in a statement. The pair have reportedly hired three writers and an editor from the Onion for the enterprise. Musk had reportedly considered buying The Onion itself in 2014, but it now seems his new venture could be in direct competition with it. The South African-born entrepeneur, who as of 2016 had an estimated net worth of around £6 billion, also owns neuro-technology company Neuralink and space travel business SpaceX.

How to know your worth - and assert it at work

Last year was a momentous for gender equality: from a string of countries in the Caribbean and Latin American making historic moves to end child marriage to the rise of the #MeToo movement; Saudi women achieving the legal right to drive. In the UK, we saw legislation which created a statutory obligation for companies with 250 employees or more to report on their gender pay gap, which will happen by April 4, 2018 - and every year after that. The results are likely to be shocking, with some predicting a 100 per cent disparity in City bonuses and change will have to come at an institutional level. But with just three weeks to go until the deadline, there are things that we, as individuals, can do to determine and assert our worth in the workplace and beyond... 1. It starts with ‘Self’ With just about everything in life, it all starts with us. Just like it is our responsibility to own and exercise the power that already exists within us, we too have a duty to nurture our self-awareness, acceptance, self-esteem and worth. Forget being 'empowered' - no one gives us power. It exists within us, we just need to find ways to unearth, harness and exercise it. This, rather than a weekly manicure or monthly massage, is the true essence of self-care. Self-awareness is, arguably, one of the single most important factors as you progress through the ranks of an organisation, or grow your own business. The downside is that this same awareness feeds that ever-hungry critical inner voice – the one that can leave us speechless at the boardroom table. 2. Acceptance There is infinite power in accepting that we cannot be good at everything . Besides the world would be a rather boring place if we were all perfect. Accepting your weaknesses and celebrating your strengths are integral to career and business success. Our weaknesses are the things that make us human and there is a huge amount of freedom that comes from letting go of the guilt we all carry around about not being good enough. The same goes for feeling the pressure to “fix" our flaws or turn them intro strengths. Try being kinder to yourself and thinking objectively about the elements of your work you avoid doing or enjoy less and why. Ask yourself if you’re really bad at something or if there is something about it that frightens you or makes you feel anxious. Often fear can masquerade as weakness and being brave enough to acknowledge that can be a liberating move toward facing fear. Most importantly being aware of your weakness helps you to know where you should delegate, freeing you up to focus on the things you do best, allowing you to shine, and feeding your self-esteem in the process. The best teams are made up of people who bring different strengths to the table. Company gender pay gap histogram 3. Catalogue your wins Look back over your positive experiences, record your successes and build a self-esteem arsenal that is unique to you. When you are feeling low, look to your wins and use them to fuel your resilience. Literally keep a running list, or create a visual board, of your careers wins — big and small, both qualitative or quantitative. This will help you to form a bigger picture of where you bring value and help you outline your USPs. It may be that you brought in a big client deal, volunteered a new idea, handled an internal issue with empathy or simplified a process which saved you and your company both time and money. No matter how small, write it down. So often we get wrapped up in day to day life that we lose touch with how much we have actually achieved. Or a ‘bad day’ can overshadow things we’ve done well . Keeping a work diary can also be a really valuable tool in planning for your work future by giving you an overview of where you consistently excel and which kinds of work you’d like to do more or less of in your next role. 4. Define the value you bring Knowing what you offer is an essential tool for any work negotiation. Being assured of how important your skill set is, or how unique your offering gives you the edge. Think about how your positive track record translates for the party you are negotiating with, or pitching to, and make sure you have clear, measurable outcomes to back it up. Rebecca Morley, a UK-based business coach, says that all too often we decide our worth based on how we compare to other people, but our real value is usually in what makes us unique. “Work out what that is and spend time working out who that unique ability is valuable to and the sky’s the limit,” she says. 5. Ask for feedback We tend to expect that if we do a good job, someone will notice. But this is a gamble, so make a point of asking for direct, constructive feedback and step up to take credit when it’s due. Self-esteem is how you see yourself, whereas self-worth is more about how you see yourself in relation to others. When asking for feedback start with your closest network, namely your team, your direct managers, friends and family. Find out who has the knowledge and expertise in the area that you are interested in and ask them to be a sounding board for your progress and ideas or to give you honest feedback on how you are coming across in relation to how you want to be seen. Collecting and using feedback and advice is an invaluable personal development tool and while it may make you feel anxious at first, you can get better at asking for it and taking it on board. Ask a mix of yes/no questions and open ended questions. When you’re receiving feedback listen attentively and graciously, without getting defensive, and write notes so that you can refer back to specific points. Follow up afterwards and give the feedback giver an update on the progress you’ve made further down the line. This shows commitment and that you valued the time they made available to you. How you can stand up to the gender pay gap at work 6. Articulate your purpose We often underestimate how much the reward we want from our work is linked to our purpose, rather than to hard cash. Its more about being in a position to align what you love doing with what you’re good at, in order to create impact. So how do we make sure that our worth is aligned with our purpose? Linzi Boyd, serial entrepreneur and author of Brand Famous, encourages us to develop a '10 Second purpose pitch' by asking yourself: How do I want to be seen? What do I want to be known for? How does this link in with my purpose? Then, determine a mantra to steer you in the direction you want to go in. It will go something like: ‘I want to be seen as….’ Or ‘I want to be known for….’ Your purpose pitch will help keep you on track and give you the confidence to assert your worth. Recite it as often as you can - in front of the mirror every morning, in the car, on the train or to any member of your inner circle, until it becomes a part of your business DNA. Julia Elliott Brown, founder of Enter the Area, who specialises in helping women-led business raise finance says: “Investors are buying into you as much as your business potential. Your confidence, passion, professionalism and integrity will have a massive impact on value of your business.” 7. Pay it forward They say there is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women. And a report by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) report says: “The more senior the level of management, the rarer women become: so supporting women’s skills and career progression is key.” It asserts that employers need to ensure women participate in leadership development schemes; while dedicated programmes, networks and innovative return-to- work schemes are also supporting career mobility. So if you’re a women (or man) in a management position, be aware of how much influence you and create an environment that promotes balance and progression. The CMI notes that line managers are key to organisational change and need to be empowered to call out bias. A middle manager surveyed in their January report A Blueprint for Balance said: “Lots of male and some female managers don’t seem to know they are being unfair or sexist. They need to learn about and understand how institutionalised sexism works and develop strategies to overcome it at a personal and corporate level.” TOP FIVE | Confidence boosters 8. Set boundaries In setting boundaries, you assign value to your time, skills and expertise. It is all very well to say yes to extra work for recognition, but make sure that you are doing it for the right reasons and not being taken for granted. Work smart and aim to make mindful progress, rather than taking on too much and dropping balls in the process. Sometimes, it's fine to say 'no'. 9. Research your worth in the market All to often we settle into a role, lose touch with our financial worth and shove our CV in a bottom drawer to gather dust. Instead, think about the amount of time you invest in researching house prices in your area ahead of a move or hotels for your holiday, and make sure you allocate the same kind of effort to the salary component of your worth. Sign up for job site alerts, keep a close eye on posts on LinkedIn as well as on independent recruitment sites which advertise jobs in your field. We Are The City, for instance, has a fantastic job site resource which is very current. Keep in touch with key recruitment agents and let them know that you’d be open to a move for the right role and ask what different roles are fetching. Stay in the loop by joining networking groups, where you have a chance to chat to people outside of where you are employed, but who are still in your broader industry. 10. Build a profile Speak to people in your industry, survey job sites and stay in touch with recruitment agents to keep a finger on the pulse. Build a profile for yourself that is not dependent on your existing title or role by putting yourself forward for speaking opportunities and joining external committees and boards where possible. The more high profile and connected you are outside of your role, the most confident you will feel around asserting your worth in current job and in broader market. Join the Telegraph for an evening of inspirational women The Telegraph and The Women’s Chapter are hosting an event around Know Your Worth on March 19 at The Bloomsbury hotel in London, with a panel discussion featuring Emma Sinclair MBE, Ann Francke, CEO of Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and Hannah Ford, partner at Stevens & Bolton, specialising in employment law and Gender Pay Gap Reporting. The speakers will share their insights, personal stories, as well as practical tips around gender pay gap, female leadership, confidence and knowing your worth. The event will also feature a showcase of select female-led brands, which will provide a fantastic opportunity to meet the female founders of: Belinda Robertson Cashmere, Distinctively Me, Lucy Anabella, Bozena Jankowska, Nui Ami, Emmy London and By Sarah London. Canapes and Thomson & Scott Skinny Prosecco will be served throughout the evening and gifts will be supplied by Scentered. Book here.

Donald Trump says deal with North Korea 'very much in the making'

US President Donald Trump has said a deal with North Korea is "very much in the making", after criticism over his readiness to agree to talks with Pyongyang. “The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined,” Mr Trump said in a tweet on Friday. His comments came after the White House said talks would only take place once the secretive regime takes “concrete and verifiable actions”, that went beyond promises to halt nuclear testing and denuclearise. It has emerged that the president's sudden acceptance of an invitation to a historic summit was apparently off the cuff, leaving aides scurrying to draft a new blueprint for dealing with Pyongyang. Mr Trump's immediate positive response to Mr Kim’s invitation to talk had taken not only senior US officials by surprise, but also the South Korean envoys who delivered it, according to reports. The South Koreans, including National Security chief, Chung Eui-yong, had been due to meet with Mr Trump on Friday, when the president invited them and US National Security Adviser, H.R McMaster into the Oval Office for an impromptu debriefing a day early, reported the New York Times. Chung Eui-yong at the White House Credit: Bloomberg Mr Chung told Mr Trump that Kim Jong-un had indicated he was interested in meeting. Then, as the South Korean officials laid out possible responses to Mr Kim’s invitation, the US president reportedly interrupted, saying: “OK, OK. Tell them I’ll do it.” The officials appeared stunned as Mr Trump said he would meet Mr Kim if the North Korean dictator was sincere and understood the terms, the Wall Street Journal reported. Mr Trump then said: “Tell him yes.” A bewildered Mr Chung reportedly had to first call South Korean President Moon Jae-in to get his approval, before Mr McMaster and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders worked out the unusual logistics of a foreign government making such a significant announcement from the White House. A senior South Korean official later told the Yonhap newswire that the envoys had delivered a “special message” to Mr Trump from Mr Kim in addition to the summit invitation. The official declined to disclose the contents of the message, saying that it was meant to be an exchange between two leaders, but indicated that “it was part of (Kim’s) effort to build trust.” The White House struggled to keep a lid on mixed messages in the wake of the president’s surprise decision to be the first ever sitting US president to enter direct talks with a North Korean leader. Previous presidents had shied from similar summits for fear of handing a propaganda coup to Pyongyang that it was being treated as an equal on the world stage. Ambassador Christopher Hill, who led American negotiators during the last round of talks, said it was vital that US officials kept up momentum and worked with China to maximise pressure on Pyongyang. He said the six-party talks ultimately failed in 2009 because the North Koreans failed to offer proper verification it was shutting down its nuclear programme. This time around it meant US officials needed to first ensure they had Kim Jong-un’s word that he wanted to denuclearise – with a clear statement of what that would mean - rather than relying on messages from South Korean officials. Chung Eui-yong (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Credit: UPI/Barcroft “They need to get them on the record and get a timetable together of how that would work, and stick to the timetable, because they clearly don’t want to do this,” said Mr Hill, who now serves as chief adviser to the chancellor in global engagement, at the University of Denver. “There are moments when you want to lift a sanction, but you need to be prepared to put them back on when they don’t do what it is they said they were going to do.” The Trump administration stressed that it would still maintain “maximum pressure” on North Korea, while attempting to swat away criticism that the US was getting nothing in exchange for agreeing to the historic face-to-face meeting. In comments tweeted on Saturday Mr Trump said both China and Japan had welcomed the proposed talks with Pyongyang, and added that Chinese President Xi Jinping "continues to be helpful". Thursday’s announcement appeared to have caught some senior US officials off guard, including secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who was not briefed before Mr Trump took his audacious diplomatic gambit. Mr Tillerson, who is currently on his first trip to Africa, had told reporters on Thursday that talks with the North were still a distant prospect. Inside the boozy Pyongyang dinner that may have secured breakthrough On Saturday his aides said he had cancelled his programme in Kenya for the day because he was “not feeling well after a long couple of days working on major issues back home such as North Korea.” The White House’s planning for the proposed summit will be hampered by the lack of senior qualified experts available to help top officials, including Mr Tillerson, to develop a negotiating strategy. “The administration is going to be constrained in the preparations for the summit because the roster has a lot of critical gaps,” said Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation. “Right now the administration still has a higher percentage of open positions a year into the administration than any other previous presidency,” he added. One of those vacancies includes the US ambassador to Seoul. The US special envoy for North Korean policy, Joseph Yun, also retired from his post last week. His departure deprives the administration of the sole diplomat who had been in charge of regular communication between Pyongyang and Washington, under the so-called “New York channel.” A number of options have reportedly been touted for filling Mr Yun’s shoes, including Susan Thornton, the acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs. Another likely key figure in the planning process is Allison Hooker, the only official left in the administration with firsthand experience of North Korea. North Korea | Potential members of President Trump’s negotiation team Ms Hooker travelled to Pyongyang in 2014 as a senior national security council official along with then US intelligence chief, James Clapper, to negotiate the release of American detainees. Another option on the table is the infusion of “fresh blood”. CNN quoted a government official as saying that the administration may recruit an outside expert as a special envoy to handle North Korea alongside Mr Tillerson. One scenario being discussed in policy circles is that HR McMaster, the embattled National Security Adviser, could leave the White House to take command of US forces in Korea while veteran former diplomat John Bolton becomes special envoy. Scott Snyder, director of the programme on US-Korea policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, said a senior envoy would need “pretty solid knowledge of the historical record” of Pyongyang’s relationship with Washington. “I guarantee that their counterparts in the North Korean support team will know every little word associated with past interactions,” he said. Up until now the focus had been on finding the right combination of pressure to convince the North Koreans to talk, he argued. “But once you get the North Koreans to talk, you have to have a strategy, a plan, and you have to have a credible road map for how to go forward on the critical issues.” Meanwhile, other experts, including former national foreign policy advisor, Victor Cha, have warned that the unexpected twist in diplomacy could lead to a new breakthrough on North Korea’s nuclear and weapons programme but alternatively to disaster. “While the unpredictability of a meeting between these two unconventional leaders provides unique opportunities to end the decades-old conflict, its failure could also push the two countries to the brink of war,” he wrote in the New York Times.

Donald Trump says deal with North Korea 'very much in the making'

US President Donald Trump has said a deal with North Korea is "very much in the making", after criticism over his readiness to agree to talks with Pyongyang. “The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined,” Mr Trump said in a tweet on Friday. His comments came after the White House said talks would only take place once the secretive regime takes “concrete and verifiable actions”, that went beyond promises to halt nuclear testing and denuclearise. It has emerged that the president's sudden acceptance of an invitation to a historic summit was apparently off the cuff, leaving aides scurrying to draft a new blueprint for dealing with Pyongyang. Mr Trump's immediate positive response to Mr Kim’s invitation to talk had taken not only senior US officials by surprise, but also the South Korean envoys who delivered it, according to reports. The South Koreans, including National Security chief, Chung Eui-yong, had been due to meet with Mr Trump on Friday, when the president invited them and US National Security Adviser, H.R McMaster into the Oval Office for an impromptu debriefing a day early, reported the New York Times. Chung Eui-yong at the White House Credit: Bloomberg Mr Chung told Mr Trump that Kim Jong-un had indicated he was interested in meeting. Then, as the South Korean officials laid out possible responses to Mr Kim’s invitation, the US president reportedly interrupted, saying: “OK, OK. Tell them I’ll do it.” The officials appeared stunned as Mr Trump said he would meet Mr Kim if the North Korean dictator was sincere and understood the terms, the Wall Street Journal reported. Mr Trump then said: “Tell him yes.” A bewildered Mr Chung reportedly had to first call South Korean President Moon Jae-in to get his approval, before Mr McMaster and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders worked out the unusual logistics of a foreign government making such a significant announcement from the White House. A senior South Korean official later told the Yonhap newswire that the envoys had delivered a “special message” to Mr Trump from Mr Kim in addition to the summit invitation. The official declined to disclose the contents of the message, saying that it was meant to be an exchange between two leaders, but indicated that “it was part of (Kim’s) effort to build trust.” The White House struggled to keep a lid on mixed messages in the wake of the president’s surprise decision to be the first ever sitting US president to enter direct talks with a North Korean leader. Previous presidents had shied from similar summits for fear of handing a propaganda coup to Pyongyang that it was being treated as an equal on the world stage. Ambassador Christopher Hill, who led American negotiators during the last round of talks, said it was vital that US officials kept up momentum and worked with China to maximise pressure on Pyongyang. He said the six-party talks ultimately failed in 2009 because the North Koreans failed to offer proper verification it was shutting down its nuclear programme. This time around it meant US officials needed to first ensure they had Kim Jong-un’s word that he wanted to denuclearise – with a clear statement of what that would mean - rather than relying on messages from South Korean officials. Chung Eui-yong (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Credit: UPI/Barcroft “They need to get them on the record and get a timetable together of how that would work, and stick to the timetable, because they clearly don’t want to do this,” said Mr Hill, who now serves as chief adviser to the chancellor in global engagement, at the University of Denver. “There are moments when you want to lift a sanction, but you need to be prepared to put them back on when they don’t do what it is they said they were going to do.” The Trump administration stressed that it would still maintain “maximum pressure” on North Korea, while attempting to swat away criticism that the US was getting nothing in exchange for agreeing to the historic face-to-face meeting. In comments tweeted on Saturday Mr Trump said both China and Japan had welcomed the proposed talks with Pyongyang, and added that Chinese President Xi Jinping "continues to be helpful". Thursday’s announcement appeared to have caught some senior US officials off guard, including secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who was not briefed before Mr Trump took his audacious diplomatic gambit. Mr Tillerson, who is currently on his first trip to Africa, had told reporters on Thursday that talks with the North were still a distant prospect. Inside the boozy Pyongyang dinner that may have secured breakthrough On Saturday his aides said he had cancelled his programme in Kenya for the day because he was “not feeling well after a long couple of days working on major issues back home such as North Korea.” The White House’s planning for the proposed summit will be hampered by the lack of senior qualified experts available to help top officials, including Mr Tillerson, to develop a negotiating strategy. “The administration is going to be constrained in the preparations for the summit because the roster has a lot of critical gaps,” said Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation. “Right now the administration still has a higher percentage of open positions a year into the administration than any other previous presidency,” he added. One of those vacancies includes the US ambassador to Seoul. The US special envoy for North Korean policy, Joseph Yun, also retired from his post last week. His departure deprives the administration of the sole diplomat who had been in charge of regular communication between Pyongyang and Washington, under the so-called “New York channel.” A number of options have reportedly been touted for filling Mr Yun’s shoes, including Susan Thornton, the acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs. Another likely key figure in the planning process is Allison Hooker, the only official left in the administration with firsthand experience of North Korea. North Korea | Potential members of President Trump’s negotiation team Ms Hooker travelled to Pyongyang in 2014 as a senior national security council official along with then US intelligence chief, James Clapper, to negotiate the release of American detainees. Another option on the table is the infusion of “fresh blood”. CNN quoted a government official as saying that the administration may recruit an outside expert as a special envoy to handle North Korea alongside Mr Tillerson. One scenario being discussed in policy circles is that HR McMaster, the embattled National Security Adviser, could leave the White House to take command of US forces in Korea while veteran former diplomat John Bolton becomes special envoy. Scott Snyder, director of the programme on US-Korea policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, said a senior envoy would need “pretty solid knowledge of the historical record” of Pyongyang’s relationship with Washington. “I guarantee that their counterparts in the North Korean support team will know every little word associated with past interactions,” he said. Up until now the focus had been on finding the right combination of pressure to convince the North Koreans to talk, he argued. “But once you get the North Koreans to talk, you have to have a strategy, a plan, and you have to have a credible road map for how to go forward on the critical issues.” Meanwhile, other experts, including former national foreign policy advisor, Victor Cha, have warned that the unexpected twist in diplomacy could lead to a new breakthrough on North Korea’s nuclear and weapons programme but alternatively to disaster. “While the unpredictability of a meeting between these two unconventional leaders provides unique opportunities to end the decades-old conflict, its failure could also push the two countries to the brink of war,” he wrote in the New York Times.

Donald Trump says deal with North Korea 'very much in the making'

US President Donald Trump has said a deal with North Korea is "very much in the making", after criticism over his readiness to agree to talks with Pyongyang. “The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined,” Mr Trump said in a tweet on Friday. His comments came after the White House said talks would only take place once the secretive regime takes “concrete and verifiable actions”, that went beyond promises to halt nuclear testing and denuclearise. It has emerged that the president's sudden acceptance of an invitation to a historic summit was apparently off the cuff, leaving aides scurrying to draft a new blueprint for dealing with Pyongyang. Mr Trump's immediate positive response to Mr Kim’s invitation to talk had taken not only senior US officials by surprise, but also the South Korean envoys who delivered it, according to reports. The South Koreans, including National Security chief, Chung Eui-yong, had been due to meet with Mr Trump on Friday, when the president invited them and US National Security Adviser, H.R McMaster into the Oval Office for an impromptu debriefing a day early, reported the New York Times. Chung Eui-yong at the White House Credit: Bloomberg Mr Chung told Mr Trump that Kim Jong-un had indicated he was interested in meeting. Then, as the South Korean officials laid out possible responses to Mr Kim’s invitation, the US president reportedly interrupted, saying: “OK, OK. Tell them I’ll do it.” The officials appeared stunned as Mr Trump said he would meet Mr Kim if the North Korean dictator was sincere and understood the terms, the Wall Street Journal reported. Mr Trump then said: “Tell him yes.” A bewildered Mr Chung reportedly had to first call South Korean President Moon Jae-in to get his approval, before Mr McMaster and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders worked out the unusual logistics of a foreign government making such a significant announcement from the White House. A senior South Korean official later told the Yonhap newswire that the envoys had delivered a “special message” to Mr Trump from Mr Kim in addition to the summit invitation. The official declined to disclose the contents of the message, saying that it was meant to be an exchange between two leaders, but indicated that “it was part of (Kim’s) effort to build trust.” The White House struggled to keep a lid on mixed messages in the wake of the president’s surprise decision to be the first ever sitting US president to enter direct talks with a North Korean leader. Previous presidents had shied from similar summits for fear of handing a propaganda coup to Pyongyang that it was being treated as an equal on the world stage. Ambassador Christopher Hill, who led American negotiators during the last round of talks, said it was vital that US officials kept up momentum and worked with China to maximise pressure on Pyongyang. He said the six-party talks ultimately failed in 2009 because the North Koreans failed to offer proper verification it was shutting down its nuclear programme. This time around it meant US officials needed to first ensure they had Kim Jong-un’s word that he wanted to denuclearise – with a clear statement of what that would mean - rather than relying on messages from South Korean officials. Chung Eui-yong (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Credit: UPI/Barcroft “They need to get them on the record and get a timetable together of how that would work, and stick to the timetable, because they clearly don’t want to do this,” said Mr Hill, who now serves as chief adviser to the chancellor in global engagement, at the University of Denver. “There are moments when you want to lift a sanction, but you need to be prepared to put them back on when they don’t do what it is they said they were going to do.” The Trump administration stressed that it would still maintain “maximum pressure” on North Korea, while attempting to swat away criticism that the US was getting nothing in exchange for agreeing to the historic face-to-face meeting. In comments tweeted on Saturday Mr Trump said both China and Japan had welcomed the proposed talks with Pyongyang, and added that Chinese President Xi Jinping "continues to be helpful". Thursday’s announcement appeared to have caught some senior US officials off guard, including secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who was not briefed before Mr Trump took his audacious diplomatic gambit. Mr Tillerson, who is currently on his first trip to Africa, had told reporters on Thursday that talks with the North were still a distant prospect. Inside the boozy Pyongyang dinner that may have secured breakthrough On Saturday his aides said he had cancelled his programme in Kenya for the day because he was “not feeling well after a long couple of days working on major issues back home such as North Korea.” The White House’s planning for the proposed summit will be hampered by the lack of senior qualified experts available to help top officials, including Mr Tillerson, to develop a negotiating strategy. “The administration is going to be constrained in the preparations for the summit because the roster has a lot of critical gaps,” said Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation. “Right now the administration still has a higher percentage of open positions a year into the administration than any other previous presidency,” he added. One of those vacancies includes the US ambassador to Seoul. The US special envoy for North Korean policy, Joseph Yun, also retired from his post last week. His departure deprives the administration of the sole diplomat who had been in charge of regular communication between Pyongyang and Washington, under the so-called “New York channel.” A number of options have reportedly been touted for filling Mr Yun’s shoes, including Susan Thornton, the acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs. Another likely key figure in the planning process is Allison Hooker, the only official left in the administration with firsthand experience of North Korea. North Korea | Potential members of President Trump’s negotiation team Ms Hooker travelled to Pyongyang in 2014 as a senior national security council official along with then US intelligence chief, James Clapper, to negotiate the release of American detainees. Another option on the table is the infusion of “fresh blood”. CNN quoted a government official as saying that the administration may recruit an outside expert as a special envoy to handle North Korea alongside Mr Tillerson. One scenario being discussed in policy circles is that HR McMaster, the embattled National Security Adviser, could leave the White House to take command of US forces in Korea while veteran former diplomat John Bolton becomes special envoy. Scott Snyder, director of the programme on US-Korea policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, said a senior envoy would need “pretty solid knowledge of the historical record” of Pyongyang’s relationship with Washington. “I guarantee that their counterparts in the North Korean support team will know every little word associated with past interactions,” he said. Up until now the focus had been on finding the right combination of pressure to convince the North Koreans to talk, he argued. “But once you get the North Koreans to talk, you have to have a strategy, a plan, and you have to have a credible road map for how to go forward on the critical issues.” Meanwhile, other experts, including former national foreign policy advisor, Victor Cha, have warned that the unexpected twist in diplomacy could lead to a new breakthrough on North Korea’s nuclear and weapons programme but alternatively to disaster. “While the unpredictability of a meeting between these two unconventional leaders provides unique opportunities to end the decades-old conflict, its failure could also push the two countries to the brink of war,” he wrote in the New York Times.

Ousted Ukip leader Henry Bolton launches new political party

Ousted Ukip leader Henry Bolton launches new political party

Ousted Ukip leader Henry Bolton launches new political party

Ousted Ukip leader Henry Bolton launches new political party

Henry Bolton sets up new political party after being ousted as Ukip leader

Henry Bolton sets up new political party after being ousted as Ukip leader

Henry Bolton sets up new political party after being ousted as Ukip leader

Henry Bolton sets up new political party after being ousted as Ukip leader

Henry Bolton sets up new political party after being ousted as Ukip leader

Henry Bolton sets up new political party after being ousted as Ukip leader

One Nation party: Henry Bolton 'to set up new party' after being ousted by UKIP

One Nation party: Henry Bolton 'to set up new party' after being ousted by UKIP

One Nation party: Henry Bolton 'to set up new party' after being ousted by UKIP

One Nation party: Henry Bolton 'to set up new party' after being ousted by UKIP

One Nation party: Henry Bolton 'to set up new party' after being ousted by UKIP

One Nation party: Henry Bolton 'to set up new party' after being ousted by UKIP

Henry Bolton Has Set Up His Own Party Because Of Course He Has

Henry Bolton Has Set Up His Own Party Because Of Course He Has

Henry Bolton Has Set Up His Own Party Because Of Course He Has

Henry Bolton Has Set Up His Own Party Because Of Course He Has

Dale Stephens: 'Everyone has a point to prove at this level'

Dale Stephens is closing in on membership of an exclusive footballing club. This season he has been on the pitch for every second of every Premier League match Brighton have played. If he can maintain his record over the remaining ten games he will do what only Steve Cook of Bournemouth, Ben Gibson of Middlesbrough and Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta managed last year: play a complete Premier League season. And unlike that trio, who are all defenders, Stephens plays in central midfield, obliged to run all over the pitch, something he has managed to do for 90 minutes week in week out. “I’m not sure I’m running as hard in the 90th minute as I am in the first,” he smiles, as he sits insulated from the chill inside Brighton’s smart training centre in Lancing. “It depends on what score it is. If we’re seeing out the game I won’t be running far. I’ll be sat in front of the back four protecting what we’ve got. That said it would be a wonderful achievement personally and something I would appreciate.” The achievement would be all the more telling for Stephens because it would offer tangible proof that he belongs at the highest level. A hugely popular presence among Brighton fans for his relentless work rate, Stephens is a rarity among top-flight players in that he has played in every division from the National League North to the Premier League. And he suggests each upward advance has come with a degree of trepidation. “The biggest thing for me is mentally stepping up. Even playing against Conference North players as a 17 year old scholar you’re asking yourself: can you compete? Same when you go from the Conference to League Two, League Two to League One, it’s always a question in your mind: can you actually do it? It’s no different going from the Championship to the Premier League. The first few games you’re obviously nervous, there’s a bit of doubting yourself, questioning whether you actually can play at this level. It’s been the same throughout my career.” He began as a trainee at Bury, down the road from his home town of Bolton. It was, he recalls, a tough apprenticeship. Not least one weekly training exercise. “We were made to run up every terrace at Gigg Lane. We had to sprint up every set of stairs along the main stand and then sprint all the way back and do it again. We used to do that on the Wednesday before a reserve game. I’ve been brought up in that old school environment.” And he believes the incremental progress of his career – from Bury to Oldham to Charlton and then to Brighton in the summer of 2014 - has equipped him for each fresh challenge. So much so, he is glad the chance to rise to the top did not come earlier. Dale Stephens moved to the AMEX in 2014 after three years at Charlton Credit: Christopher Pledger “When I was 22 I could have gone to Aston Villa under Paul Lambert from Charlton. I’d only played a full season at League One level. Probably as well I didn’t. Because I wasn’t the player then I feel I am now. Even though it’s taken me to the age of 28, it’s probably come at the right time.” Though there were moments, he adds, when he feared the opportunity might have passed him by. Not least when Brighton, then still in the Championship, turned down a substantial bid from newly promoted Burnley in the summer of 2016. “Yeah, it does go through your mind. Obviously 28 is quite late to be making your Premier League debut. But I’m happy the way it’s turned out.” Though he admits he had to pinch himself when it finally happened. He recalls the moment he lined up for his Premier League debut last August against Manchester City he felt more than a little star struck. “All the build-up pre-season and you’re up against the top players, yeah you do get a bit more nervous,” he says. “When you see yourself as just a normal fella from down the street it comes as a bit of a culture shock.” Though, he adds, he quickly came to realise that, whatever the financial gap, the players in the top flight were no different from their less elevated peers. Stephens wins the ball from Marc McNulty in Brighton's 3-1 FA Cup win Credit: Getty Images “It’s something I’ve thought a lot about,” he says. “When you are playing in the lower divisions you look up to these people like they are heroes but when you play against them you see they are normal human beings and I’m not different.” It is, he adds, important for the mindset of the newly promoted: they need quickly to rid themselves of any sense of inferiority if they are to survive. And he believes at Brighton the manager Chris Hughton (the best he has ever worked with, he says) and the core of British players have developed a belief that they belong. It is a confidence evident not just in their progress to the FA Cup sixth round, but in the speedy manner in which they have recovered from some substantial defeats. “I think everyone here is like me. Everyone has a point to prove at this level. So when you do lose it does become a mental challenge. It goes back to what I was saying, ask yourself can you compete at this level? To do that you have to overcome setbacks.” And he believes, with such mental resolve, Brighton are well placed to negotiate their way through the most congested relegation scrap in years. The 28-year-old has been crucial to the Seagulls during their inaugural Premier League season Credit: Getty Images “I think you’d be a liar if you said you didn’t constantly look at the table. But it’s more about points than position. You could be tenth, eleventh, think you’re OK, then a week later you could be right back in it. You just have to keep going, keep working, keep battling.” It is the kind of mental resilience widely reckoned to be absent from Brighton’s opponents on Sunday. Though Stephens was quick to point out Arsenal’s torrid recent spell of results could make them extremely dangerous. “When you do suffer defeat in a big game, the next game is a big opportunity to put in a good performance and get the disappointed fans back onside. We’ve got to be wary of that.” Though you sense he has little fear of confronting players less renowned than him for running for every minute of every game. “We went there and played fairly well so I think we know what kind of players they have.” And in truth it is unlikely Mesut Ozil was ever obliged to run up and down the terraces at Gigg Lane.

Dale Stephens: 'Everyone has a point to prove at this level'

Dale Stephens is closing in on membership of an exclusive footballing club. This season he has been on the pitch for every second of every Premier League match Brighton have played. If he can maintain his record over the remaining ten games he will do what only Steve Cook of Bournemouth, Ben Gibson of Middlesbrough and Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta managed last year: play a complete Premier League season. And unlike that trio, who are all defenders, Stephens plays in central midfield, obliged to run all over the pitch, something he has managed to do for 90 minutes week in week out. “I’m not sure I’m running as hard in the 90th minute as I am in the first,” he smiles, as he sits insulated from the chill inside Brighton’s smart training centre in Lancing. “It depends on what score it is. If we’re seeing out the game I won’t be running far. I’ll be sat in front of the back four protecting what we’ve got. That said it would be a wonderful achievement personally and something I would appreciate.” The achievement would be all the more telling for Stephens because it would offer tangible proof that he belongs at the highest level. A hugely popular presence among Brighton fans for his relentless work rate, Stephens is a rarity among top-flight players in that he has played in every division from the National League North to the Premier League. And he suggests each upward advance has come with a degree of trepidation. “The biggest thing for me is mentally stepping up. Even playing against Conference North players as a 17 year old scholar you’re asking yourself: can you compete? Same when you go from the Conference to League Two, League Two to League One, it’s always a question in your mind: can you actually do it? It’s no different going from the Championship to the Premier League. The first few games you’re obviously nervous, there’s a bit of doubting yourself, questioning whether you actually can play at this level. It’s been the same throughout my career.” He began as a trainee at Bury, down the road from his home town of Bolton. It was, he recalls, a tough apprenticeship. Not least one weekly training exercise. “We were made to run up every terrace at Gigg Lane. We had to sprint up every set of stairs along the main stand and then sprint all the way back and do it again. We used to do that on the Wednesday before a reserve game. I’ve been brought up in that old school environment.” And he believes the incremental progress of his career – from Bury to Oldham to Charlton and then to Brighton in the summer of 2014 - has equipped him for each fresh challenge. So much so, he is glad the chance to rise to the top did not come earlier. Dale Stephens moved to the AMEX in 2014 after three years at Charlton Credit: Christopher Pledger “When I was 22 I could have gone to Aston Villa under Paul Lambert from Charlton. I’d only played a full season at League One level. Probably as well I didn’t. Because I wasn’t the player then I feel I am now. Even though it’s taken me to the age of 28, it’s probably come at the right time.” Though there were moments, he adds, when he feared the opportunity might have passed him by. Not least when Brighton, then still in the Championship, turned down a substantial bid from newly promoted Burnley in the summer of 2016. “Yeah, it does go through your mind. Obviously 28 is quite late to be making your Premier League debut. But I’m happy the way it’s turned out.” Though he admits he had to pinch himself when it finally happened. He recalls the moment he lined up for his Premier League debut last August against Manchester City he felt more than a little star struck. “All the build-up pre-season and you’re up against the top players, yeah you do get a bit more nervous,” he says. “When you see yourself as just a normal fella from down the street it comes as a bit of a culture shock.” Though, he adds, he quickly came to realise that, whatever the financial gap, the players in the top flight were no different from their less elevated peers. Stephens wins the ball from Marc McNulty in Brighton's 3-1 FA Cup win Credit: Getty Images “It’s something I’ve thought a lot about,” he says. “When you are playing in the lower divisions you look up to these people like they are heroes but when you play against them you see they are normal human beings and I’m not different.” It is, he adds, important for the mindset of the newly promoted: they need quickly to rid themselves of any sense of inferiority if they are to survive. And he believes at Brighton the manager Chris Hughton (the best he has ever worked with, he says) and the core of British players have developed a belief that they belong. It is a confidence evident not just in their progress to the FA Cup sixth round, but in the speedy manner in which they have recovered from some substantial defeats. “I think everyone here is like me. Everyone has a point to prove at this level. So when you do lose it does become a mental challenge. It goes back to what I was saying, ask yourself can you compete at this level? To do that you have to overcome setbacks.” And he believes, with such mental resolve, Brighton are well placed to negotiate their way through the most congested relegation scrap in years. The 28-year-old has been crucial to the Seagulls during their inaugural Premier League season Credit: Getty Images “I think you’d be a liar if you said you didn’t constantly look at the table. But it’s more about points than position. You could be tenth, eleventh, think you’re OK, then a week later you could be right back in it. You just have to keep going, keep working, keep battling.” It is the kind of mental resilience widely reckoned to be absent from Brighton’s opponents on Sunday. Though Stephens was quick to point out Arsenal’s torrid recent spell of results could make them extremely dangerous. “When you do suffer defeat in a big game, the next game is a big opportunity to put in a good performance and get the disappointed fans back onside. We’ve got to be wary of that.” Though you sense he has little fear of confronting players less renowned than him for running for every minute of every game. “We went there and played fairly well so I think we know what kind of players they have.” And in truth it is unlikely Mesut Ozil was ever obliged to run up and down the terraces at Gigg Lane.

Dale Stephens: 'Everyone has a point to prove at this level'

Dale Stephens is closing in on membership of an exclusive footballing club. This season he has been on the pitch for every second of every Premier League match Brighton have played. If he can maintain his record over the remaining ten games he will do what only Steve Cook of Bournemouth, Ben Gibson of Middlesbrough and Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta managed last year: play a complete Premier League season. And unlike that trio, who are all defenders, Stephens plays in central midfield, obliged to run all over the pitch, something he has managed to do for 90 minutes week in week out. “I’m not sure I’m running as hard in the 90th minute as I am in the first,” he smiles, as he sits insulated from the chill inside Brighton’s smart training centre in Lancing. “It depends on what score it is. If we’re seeing out the game I won’t be running far. I’ll be sat in front of the back four protecting what we’ve got. That said it would be a wonderful achievement personally and something I would appreciate.” The achievement would be all the more telling for Stephens because it would offer tangible proof that he belongs at the highest level. A hugely popular presence among Brighton fans for his relentless work rate, Stephens is a rarity among top-flight players in that he has played in every division from the National League North to the Premier League. And he suggests each upward advance has come with a degree of trepidation. “The biggest thing for me is mentally stepping up. Even playing against Conference North players as a 17 year old scholar you’re asking yourself: can you compete? Same when you go from the Conference to League Two, League Two to League One, it’s always a question in your mind: can you actually do it? It’s no different going from the Championship to the Premier League. The first few games you’re obviously nervous, there’s a bit of doubting yourself, questioning whether you actually can play at this level. It’s been the same throughout my career.” He began as a trainee at Bury, down the road from his home town of Bolton. It was, he recalls, a tough apprenticeship. Not least one weekly training exercise. “We were made to run up every terrace at Gigg Lane. We had to sprint up every set of stairs along the main stand and then sprint all the way back and do it again. We used to do that on the Wednesday before a reserve game. I’ve been brought up in that old school environment.” And he believes the incremental progress of his career – from Bury to Oldham to Charlton and then to Brighton in the summer of 2014 - has equipped him for each fresh challenge. So much so, he is glad the chance to rise to the top did not come earlier. Dale Stephens moved to the AMEX in 2014 after three years at Charlton Credit: Christopher Pledger “When I was 22 I could have gone to Aston Villa under Paul Lambert from Charlton. I’d only played a full season at League One level. Probably as well I didn’t. Because I wasn’t the player then I feel I am now. Even though it’s taken me to the age of 28, it’s probably come at the right time.” Though there were moments, he adds, when he feared the opportunity might have passed him by. Not least when Brighton, then still in the Championship, turned down a substantial bid from newly promoted Burnley in the summer of 2016. “Yeah, it does go through your mind. Obviously 28 is quite late to be making your Premier League debut. But I’m happy the way it’s turned out.” Though he admits he had to pinch himself when it finally happened. He recalls the moment he lined up for his Premier League debut last August against Manchester City he felt more than a little star struck. “All the build-up pre-season and you’re up against the top players, yeah you do get a bit more nervous,” he says. “When you see yourself as just a normal fella from down the street it comes as a bit of a culture shock.” Though, he adds, he quickly came to realise that, whatever the financial gap, the players in the top flight were no different from their less elevated peers. Stephens wins the ball from Marc McNulty in Brighton's 3-1 FA Cup win Credit: Getty Images “It’s something I’ve thought a lot about,” he says. “When you are playing in the lower divisions you look up to these people like they are heroes but when you play against them you see they are normal human beings and I’m not different.” It is, he adds, important for the mindset of the newly promoted: they need quickly to rid themselves of any sense of inferiority if they are to survive. And he believes at Brighton the manager Chris Hughton (the best he has ever worked with, he says) and the core of British players have developed a belief that they belong. It is a confidence evident not just in their progress to the FA Cup sixth round, but in the speedy manner in which they have recovered from some substantial defeats. “I think everyone here is like me. Everyone has a point to prove at this level. So when you do lose it does become a mental challenge. It goes back to what I was saying, ask yourself can you compete at this level? To do that you have to overcome setbacks.” And he believes, with such mental resolve, Brighton are well placed to negotiate their way through the most congested relegation scrap in years. The 28-year-old has been crucial to the Seagulls during their inaugural Premier League season Credit: Getty Images “I think you’d be a liar if you said you didn’t constantly look at the table. But it’s more about points than position. You could be tenth, eleventh, think you’re OK, then a week later you could be right back in it. You just have to keep going, keep working, keep battling.” It is the kind of mental resilience widely reckoned to be absent from Brighton’s opponents on Sunday. Though Stephens was quick to point out Arsenal’s torrid recent spell of results could make them extremely dangerous. “When you do suffer defeat in a big game, the next game is a big opportunity to put in a good performance and get the disappointed fans back onside. We’ve got to be wary of that.” Though you sense he has little fear of confronting players less renowned than him for running for every minute of every game. “We went there and played fairly well so I think we know what kind of players they have.” And in truth it is unlikely Mesut Ozil was ever obliged to run up and down the terraces at Gigg Lane.

Dale Stephens: 'Everyone has a point to prove at this level'

Dale Stephens is closing in on membership of an exclusive footballing club. This season he has been on the pitch for every second of every Premier League match Brighton have played. If he can maintain his record over the remaining ten games he will do what only Steve Cook of Bournemouth, Ben Gibson of Middlesbrough and Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta managed last year: play a complete Premier League season. And unlike that trio, who are all defenders, Stephens plays in central midfield, obliged to run all over the pitch, something he has managed to do for 90 minutes week in week out. “I’m not sure I’m running as hard in the 90th minute as I am in the first,” he smiles, as he sits insulated from the chill inside Brighton’s smart training centre in Lancing. “It depends on what score it is. If we’re seeing out the game I won’t be running far. I’ll be sat in front of the back four protecting what we’ve got. That said it would be a wonderful achievement personally and something I would appreciate.” The achievement would be all the more telling for Stephens because it would offer tangible proof that he belongs at the highest level. A hugely popular presence among Brighton fans for his relentless work rate, Stephens is a rarity among top-flight players in that he has played in every division from the National League North to the Premier League. And he suggests each upward advance has come with a degree of trepidation. “The biggest thing for me is mentally stepping up. Even playing against Conference North players as a 17 year old scholar you’re asking yourself: can you compete? Same when you go from the Conference to League Two, League Two to League One, it’s always a question in your mind: can you actually do it? It’s no different going from the Championship to the Premier League. The first few games you’re obviously nervous, there’s a bit of doubting yourself, questioning whether you actually can play at this level. It’s been the same throughout my career.” He began as a trainee at Bury, down the road from his home town of Bolton. It was, he recalls, a tough apprenticeship. Not least one weekly training exercise. “We were made to run up every terrace at Gigg Lane. We had to sprint up every set of stairs along the main stand and then sprint all the way back and do it again. We used to do that on the Wednesday before a reserve game. I’ve been brought up in that old school environment.” And he believes the incremental progress of his career – from Bury to Oldham to Charlton and then to Brighton in the summer of 2014 - has equipped him for each fresh challenge. So much so, he is glad the chance to rise to the top did not come earlier. Dale Stephens moved to the AMEX in 2014 after three years at Charlton Credit: Christopher Pledger “When I was 22 I could have gone to Aston Villa under Paul Lambert from Charlton. I’d only played a full season at League One level. Probably as well I didn’t. Because I wasn’t the player then I feel I am now. Even though it’s taken me to the age of 28, it’s probably come at the right time.” Though there were moments, he adds, when he feared the opportunity might have passed him by. Not least when Brighton, then still in the Championship, turned down a substantial bid from newly promoted Burnley in the summer of 2016. “Yeah, it does go through your mind. Obviously 28 is quite late to be making your Premier League debut. But I’m happy the way it’s turned out.” Though he admits he had to pinch himself when it finally happened. He recalls the moment he lined up for his Premier League debut last August against Manchester City he felt more than a little star struck. “All the build-up pre-season and you’re up against the top players, yeah you do get a bit more nervous,” he says. “When you see yourself as just a normal fella from down the street it comes as a bit of a culture shock.” Though, he adds, he quickly came to realise that, whatever the financial gap, the players in the top flight were no different from their less elevated peers. Stephens wins the ball from Marc McNulty in Brighton's 3-1 FA Cup win Credit: Getty Images “It’s something I’ve thought a lot about,” he says. “When you are playing in the lower divisions you look up to these people like they are heroes but when you play against them you see they are normal human beings and I’m not different.” It is, he adds, important for the mindset of the newly promoted: they need quickly to rid themselves of any sense of inferiority if they are to survive. And he believes at Brighton the manager Chris Hughton (the best he has ever worked with, he says) and the core of British players have developed a belief that they belong. It is a confidence evident not just in their progress to the FA Cup sixth round, but in the speedy manner in which they have recovered from some substantial defeats. “I think everyone here is like me. Everyone has a point to prove at this level. So when you do lose it does become a mental challenge. It goes back to what I was saying, ask yourself can you compete at this level? To do that you have to overcome setbacks.” And he believes, with such mental resolve, Brighton are well placed to negotiate their way through the most congested relegation scrap in years. The 28-year-old has been crucial to the Seagulls during their inaugural Premier League season Credit: Getty Images “I think you’d be a liar if you said you didn’t constantly look at the table. But it’s more about points than position. You could be tenth, eleventh, think you’re OK, then a week later you could be right back in it. You just have to keep going, keep working, keep battling.” It is the kind of mental resilience widely reckoned to be absent from Brighton’s opponents on Sunday. Though Stephens was quick to point out Arsenal’s torrid recent spell of results could make them extremely dangerous. “When you do suffer defeat in a big game, the next game is a big opportunity to put in a good performance and get the disappointed fans back onside. We’ve got to be wary of that.” Though you sense he has little fear of confronting players less renowned than him for running for every minute of every game. “We went there and played fairly well so I think we know what kind of players they have.” And in truth it is unlikely Mesut Ozil was ever obliged to run up and down the terraces at Gigg Lane.

Bolton Wanderers sign Chinedu Obasi on short-term deal

The former Schalke 04 forward has strengthened the Trotters’ ranks as they continue their chase to escape Championship relegation

Bolton Wanderers’ Parkinson needs more time to decide on Obasi

The Trotters gaffer has highlighted some factors that are delaying a decision on the Nigeria forward

Bolton Wanderers’ Parkinson needs more time to decide on Obasi

The Trotters gaffer has highlighted some factors that are delaying a decision on the Nigeria forward

FILE PHOTO: A builder works at a Bovis homes housing development near Bolton

FILE PHOTO: A builder works at a Bovis homes housing development near Bolton, Britain, July 9, 2008. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

Bolton Wanderers boss Phil Parkinson salutes Sammy Ameobi’s impact

The 25-year-old has had a positive influence on the Trotters since he teamed up with them which impressed his gaffer

Bolton Wanderers boss Phil Parkinson salutes Sammy Ameobi’s impact

The 25-year-old has had a positive influence on the Trotters since he teamed up with them which impressed his gaffer

Bolton Wanderers boss Phil Parkinson salutes Sammy Ameobi’s impact

The 25-year-old has had a positive influence on the Trotters since he teamed up with them which impressed his gaffer

Wife of ousted UKIP leader Henry Bolton: I could never have imagined his affair with Jo Marney

Wife of ousted UKIP leader Henry Bolton: I could never have imagined his affair with Jo Marney

Wife of ousted UKIP leader Henry Bolton: I could never have imagined his affair with Jo Marney

Wife of ousted UKIP leader Henry Bolton: I could never have imagined his affair with Jo Marney

Wife of ousted UKIP leader Henry Bolton: I could never have imagined his affair with Jo Marney

Wife of ousted UKIP leader Henry Bolton: I could never have imagined his affair with Jo Marney